Believe

by Katie Holland

  “Anytime,” Sharon said.

  Alix left the room and went back down to the kitchen. Shay and Logan were there sitting at the breakfast bar.

  “Any luck?” Ben asked her, as she joined them.

  “Yes and no. She told me about her dreams. But there was nothing that would really help me. Hers were all true vision dreams that were warnings. But I did learn something interesting. Sharon told me that the night before my birthday, that she had a vision dream about me being the Chosen One and it was on their way here that they were taken by the Grynn. I offered to help her remember, but she said she doesn’t want to know what happened.”

  “I can’t really blame her,” Shay said.

  “I guess. But if it was me, I’d want to know, at least how they were able to find me.”

  “What’s that look on your face?” Shay asked.

  “Something is just bugging me about the conversation with Sharon, but I don’t know what it is.”

  “Stop thinking about it and maybe it’ll come to you,” Shay told her.

  “Maybe. But you know how I am when something is bugging me. I just hate that feeling and I have to figure it out.”

  “I know,” Shay said. “But you have so many other things going on, maybe just this once let one of the things go, at least for now.”

  “I can try, but I’m not making any promises,” Alix said.

  “Well, that’s better than I thought I was going to get.” Shay smiled. “It’s time for me to go home now. I’ll see you on Sunday evening. Call or text me if you need anything Alix. Bye.”

  Everyone said their goodbyes and Shay went to find her Warrior escort. None of them still left the property without being accompanied by a Warrior.

  “Now, who wants to go watch some TV?” Ben said.

  They all agreed and went to the den.

  Chapter 3

  Later that night, Alix was in her room getting ready for bed. The conversation she’d had earlier with Sharon was still nagging at her, so she got out her journal.

  ****

  Jan 27 – cont’d

  I didn’t want to say this out loud to anyone, but when I was talking to Sharon earlier, I had the feeling that she was hiding something from me. And I don’t mean the fact that she can’t remember what happened to them. But more like she knows something and isn’t telling me. I don’t understand why she wouldn’t tell us everything she knows. I feel bad about being suspicious of her, but that’s how I feel. I know no one else sees it, but I think that’s why I haven’t gotten closer to her. Or maybe, I’m just tired and making up stuff that isn’t there. Here’s hoping I have a nightmare free night.

  ****

  Alix had a nice, hot bubble bath to try and help her relax before she went to bed. When she crawled under the covers, she did her best not to think about the nightmares but instead, tried to focus on the conversation with her birth mother. She was hoping that some kind of answer might come to her in her sleep.

  A few hours later, Alix woke up breathing hard. It was another nightmare, but there was a different element to this one. She was still buried alive, but it felt different. Most of the time she felt claustrophobic, but this time it was more like she was in the bubble she’d created to save everyone. She was alone this time. Her family and friends were not in this dream at all, but it was as if she could feel someone watching her.

  She shivered and tried to shake off the dream. She was going to have to find a way to sleep through the night or pretty soon she was going to be useless from lack of sleep. She closed her eyes and did the opposite of what she normally did. She thought about the dream and tried to concentrate on the details. If there was one thing she’d learned, it was that the dreams wouldn’t stop until she learned what she needed to know. Maybe this time she could get the dream to finally play all the way out.

  The sound of her phone ringing was the next thing she heard. She rolled over and grabbed it off her nightstand.

  “Hello,” she said sleepily.

  She heard giggling on the other end.

  “Wake up sleepy head,” Sara told her.

  “Oh, hey Sara. What time is it?”

  “10:30. I was sure you’d be up by now.”

  “I’ve been having nightmares, so my sleep hasn’t been the greatest,” Alix said.

  “I understand that. I don’t have them as often, but I still dream about being held captive in that cave. I’m just happy I can’t remember it all.”

  “Hey, can I ask you something about that?”

  “Sure.”

  “So, if you had the choice would you want to remember anything that happened during that time?”

  “I don’t think so. Why?”

  “Well, I was talking to Sharon yesterday and I offered to help her try and remember what happened when they were taken by the Grynn. She said she didn’t want to remember what happened,” Alix said.

  “I get that,” Sara told her.

  “To be honest, I don’t understand,” Alix said. “If it was me, I’d want to know everything that happened.”

  “Why would you want to know?” Sara asked.

  “So that I could make sure it never happened and take care of the people that did it to me.”

  “And that’s the difference between you and most other people, Alix. You have the ability to make that happen, whereas someone like me doesn’t.”

  “I’d do it for you.”

  “I know and you did, even when we didn’t know each other. And I have no doubt that if something ever happened to me again, you’d be there to take care of it.”

  “Of course, I would. That’s what friends do.”

  “True,” Sara said, “but you’d do it for strangers too.”

  “I think that’s part of my job description,” Alix said, with a smile.

  “Actually, I think it’s who you are. Anyway, I called for a reason.”

  “Oh sorry, kind of distracted you, I guess. What’s up?”

  “My first three weeks of school have been so great. I wanted to say thank you and maybe practice some of the things I’ve learned. Do you mind if I come over today?” Sara asked.

  “You’re welcome here anytime you want. And besides, I’m here most of the time and I’m all up for seeing what you’re learning. When do you want to come over?”

  “I was thinking after lunch. That way I could make everyone dinner and practice at the same time.”

  “Sounds good to me. See you later.”

  “You bet. Tell everyone to be hungry. Bye.”

  Alix laughed as she hung up. She was super happy Sara was enjoying school and excited to see what she’d learned so far.

  On her way to the shower, she realized that last night was the most sleep she’d gotten since rescuing the Nykara on the island. Even though she’d had a nightmare, she was able to fall back to sleep quickly and then actually stay asleep.

  By the time she made it to the kitchen it was empty. As she was making her coffee, she saw a plate with her name on it. Someone had left her breakfast. She quickly heated it up and sat down at the table. As she was eating her dad came in to get himself another cup of coffee.

  “Hey kiddo, how’s it going?” he asked her.

  “Okay, I guess. I only had one bad dream last night.”

  “That’s good I suppose.”

  “What are you up to today?”

  “I’m going to take Sean and Sharon to Bozeman. Sharon got that part-time job as a nurse and needs some scrubs, so I’m going to show her where your mom gets hers. Do you want to come with us?”

  “Nah, that doesn’t really sound like fun. And besides, it’s kind of a hassle when I have to leave the property, so I’m only going to go if it’s really urgent.”

  “I understand honey. I’m sorry though.”

  “It’s okay dad.”

  “So, what are you up to today?” he asked her.

  “Sara is coming by later to show me what she’s learning in school. I think she’s going to be making dinner
for all of us.”

  “That’s great. You’d better let Rick know so he doesn’t order pizza tonight.”

  “Good point. When are you leaving?”

  “Probably in the next hour. Do you need anything while we’re in Bozeman?”

  “I can’t think of anything, but I’ll let you know if I do.”

  “Ok kiddo. See you later.”

  “Have fun.”

  Her dad left the kitchen, leaving her to finish eating her breakfast. When she was done, she started wandering the house. She didn’t feel like watching TV or reading, so she was kind of at a loss of what to do. There were still a few rooms that they didn’t really use, so she thought she’d check them out. Maybe they could turn one of them into a small gym. She didn’t really like exercise, but it wouldn’t hurt her to get more fit.

  She was inspecting one of the larger ones when Ben found her.

  “Hey beautiful,” he said, hugging her from behind. “What are you doing in here?”

  “I was thinking maybe we could turn this room into a small gym or something.”

  Ben let out a small laugh. “I’ve never heard you talk about exercising before.”

  “That’s probably because I used to be really uncoordinated. But since becoming the Chosen One, that has mostly gone away.”

  “So, why do you want to exercise?” he asked.

  “Um, I don’t really want to, but I think I need to. It occurred to me that if my physical stamina was better, then my magical stamina might be better too.”

  “Okay. So, what were you thinking for here?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe a treadmill, stationary bike, an elliptical, and maybe some weights.”

  “Sounds … reasonable,” he said, with a grin.

  “Are you making fun of me?” Alix asked.

  “A little. Are you actually bored?”

  “I think I might be,” Alix said letting out a little laugh. “I guess I don’t know what to do when there’s not a crisis happening.”

  “You could always bake me something.”

  “Or, you could learn to do it yourself.”

  “But it’s so much better when you make it.”

  Alix snorted out a laugh. “Flattery like that won’t work on me, I’m not Shay.”

  Ben let out a big belly laugh. “Fine, fine. Alix, I would love it if you could make me some of your awesome baking.”

  Alix grinned at him. “Alright, what do you want?”

  “Those crispy cookies with the coconut in them.”

  “Ranger Cookies?”

  “Yeah, that sounds right.”

  “Okay, but that’s it. Sara is coming over later and making dinner.”

  “Cool. Now get to the kitchen woman and make me cookies.”

  Alix tried to smack him, but he took off running. She chased him to the kitchen but couldn’t catch up to him.

  “And you wonder why I need to get in better shape,” Alix said, when she got there.

  “I’m beginning to understand,” Ben said laughing.

  They spent the next hour making cookies and enjoying being close to each other.

  Chapter 4

  As Alix took the last batch of cookies out of the oven, she got a text.

  Sara: I’ll be there in ten minutes

  Alix: Ok. You know the gate code, right?

  Sara: Yes

  Alix: See you in a few

  “Sara will be here soon,” Alix told Ben. “Oh crap, I was supposed to tell your dad not to order pizza tonight.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll go find him and let him know.”

  “Thank you.”

  She went to the front door to wait for Sara. She’d only been there a couple of times and until you knew the directions to the house, it was easy to get lost. A few minutes later, she saw Sara’s car pull up in front of the house. Alix opened the door to greet her. They hugged and went to the kitchen.

  “I’m really excited to see what you’ve been up to,” Alix told her.

  “I’ve been having so much fun that it’s like I’m not even going to school,” Sara said. “I can’t thank you enough for getting me into the program.”

  “All I did was make a call. The rest was all you. So, what are you going to make?”

  “That depends on what you have in the fridge and freezer.”

  “We have almost everything. Feel free to take a look.”

  Sara looked in the fridge and Alix showed her where the freezer was. After having a good look at everything, Sara came up with a menu.

  “I’m going to make stuffed pork chops with apple dressing, garlic butter asparagus, and herb mashed potatoes. And I think a cheesecake for dessert.”

  “That sounds awesome,” Ben said, from the door. “Hey Sara.”

  “Hi Ben. You know, if you stick around here, I’ll probably put you to work,” Sara said, with a smile.

  “That’s okay. I’m used to it. Alix makes me slave over the hot stove all the time.”

  Alix punched him in the shoulder. “Whatever. Who was the one asking for cookies earlier?”

  Ben grinned and held up his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. I’ll do whatever you want, just stop hitting me.”

  “Why do I like you again?” Alix said, trying to hide her smile.

  “You two are fun together,” Sara said, with a smile of her own. “Now, we need to get started if we want to be finished by dinner time. Let’s start with the cheesecake.”

  Alix, Ben, and Sara spent the next few hours in the kitchen. The longer they were in there, the better it started to smell. When everything was ready Ben rounded everyone up and Alix and Sara served dinner.

  “This looks like something from a fancy restaurant,” Heather said. “I can’t wait to try it.”

  When Alix and Sara sat down with the rest of the group, they all dug into their food. Everyone was impressed with Sara’s dinner.

  “You can come cook for us anytime,” Rick told her. “That was an outstanding meal.”

  “Thank you,” Sara said. “I’ve only been in school for three weeks and I’ve already learned a lot. I can’t wait to see what else I’m going to get to do.”

  Heather and Natalie took the cleanup duties while Alix and Sara went up to her room. Alix turned on the TV and told Sara to pick something to watch. She picked a cooking show making Alix laugh. Alix wished that Shay had been there, but since she started staying at the Nykara house during the week she always had to be home Friday and Saturday night. Alix texted her a picture of the cheesecake.

  Shay: Please tell me that’s something you want to make and not something you had

  Alix: Sorry, Sara made it. But don’t worry, I saved you some.

  Shay: Did I miss any other goodies?

  Alix: I made Ranger cookies earlier, but there’s lots, so they’ll be here tomorrow too

  Shay: Good. Tell Sara next time she wants to make something yummy to do it when I’m there.

  Alix: Ok. What are you doing?

  Shay: Just about to watch a movie with the family

  Alix: Have fun. See you tomorrow.

  Alix and Sara watched a couple of cooking shows before Sara decided it was time for her to go home. They didn’t spend all their time at school cooking, and she had a paper due on Monday that she hadn’t started yet. Alix saw her to the door and then headed to the kitchen. She needed a cookie or two before going back upstairs.

  When she got to the kitchen door, she could hear hushed voices. Not wanting to interrupt, she started to turn around when she heard her name. She peeked around the corner and saw that it was her birth parents. She listened for a minute. She knew eavesdropping was wrong, but she couldn’t help it, she was curious.

  Alix thought she heard the words “tell her” and “don’t know” but she couldn’t be sure. She didn’t want to get caught, so she walked into the kitchen like she hadn’t been listening at the door.

  “Oh, hi Alix,” Sharon said, when she saw her.

  “Hey. Just came to get a couple o
f cookies. Is everything okay?” Alix asked.

  “Oh yes, just fine.”

  “Did you find what you were looking for in town today?”

  “Yes. Got several new pairs of scrubs. I’m looking forward to working again. But a little nervous too. You know how it is when you start a new job.”

  “Actually, I don’t,” Alix smiled. “The only job I’ve ever had was last summer working in dad’s office. But I wasn’t nervous there because I pretty much knew everyone.”

  Sharon smiled. “That makes sense.”

  “When do you start?”

  “Monday. I’ll be working Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”

  “That’s great,” Alix said. “What about you, Sean? Have you been able to find something?”

  “Rick and Natalie are going to inquire for me at the University. There’s not much call for a botanist in Sunset Creek.”

  Alix smiled. “I guess there isn’t. Well, I’m off to my room for the night. See you in the morning.”

  “Good night, Alix,” Sharon said.

  Alix left the kitchen and went to Ben’s room. She knocked.

  “Hang on a second,” Ben yelled. He came to the door a minute later. “Hey Alix, come in.”

  “What were you doing?” she asked.

  “I just got out of the shower.”

  “Oh,” Alix said, her cheeks turning pink.

  “Are you here to visit or did you need something?” Ben asked, with a smile.

  “I just came to see you. And I brought cookies,” she said, holding them up.

  “And that makes you the perfect girlfriend.”

  Alix snorted. “Funny. There’s nothing perfect about me.”

  “I don’t know. I think you’re pretty perfect,” he said. “Now give me the cookies.”

  Alix laughed and handed him some cookies. They sat on the couch. Ben put his arm around her, and she laid her head on his shoulder.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. I can’t put my finger on it, but I’m getting a little bit of a weird vibe from Sharon and Sean.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s nothing they’ve done or haven’t done, but it’s just one of those feelings I have. I almost feel like they’re hiding something. Or it could just be me not really knowing them yet. I feel like I should have this connection to them because they’re my parents, but I just don’t have that. I had more of a connection with you and your parents when I first met you.”